In November 2001, the then Planning Commission undertook the formation of a 21 member theme group of gender focal points cutting across all sectors in order to encourage and facilitate a multi-sectoral approach to address gender issues, strengthen linkages for coordination of gender activities, and, ensure greater sharing, learning and capacity building for gender mainstreaming. Through this existing network, the government developed and submitted in December 2002 its combined initial to sixth periodic CEDAW reports. The gender theme group lacked however the necessary mandate and capability to monitor gender programmes and provide technical inputs, and, as such, could not be very effective.

In September 2005, the NCWC and the erstwhile Department of Planning under the Ministry of Finance (previous Planning Commission) revitalized the network of national gender focal points (NGFP). The network has representation from the 10 ministries of the RGoB, government and autonomous agencies, constitutional bodies, NGOs, the academia, the armed forces, as well as a representative from the Parliament.[ Click here for the list of national gender focal points and their details.]

The NCWC developed Terms of Reference (ToR), which clearly spell out the roles and responsibilities of the NGFP. The ToR [Click here for TOR] were also developed as a means of recognizing the contributions of the NGFP towards the gender mainstreaming initiatives of the RGoB.

Since the revitalization of the network, the NGFP have been actively participating in workshops, trainings, consultations and briefings on gender and women issues organized across the country. The NGFP have also been instrumental in the development of a framework for the country's first National Plan of Action for Gender.

The NGFP are expected to play an increasing role and be actively involved in the formulation of the country's next development plan, the Tenth Five-Year Plan. The Guidelines for Preparation of the Tenth Plan (2007-2012) clearly states that "Each sector shall mainstream gender issues while formulating the Tenth Plan and disaggregate data by gender wherever possible".

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